(2) Sarah Jane Adventures - Cold Blood: God's Lonely Man
by lhigginns67
Summary: Picking up where the previous story left, Colin's interest turns to Sarah Jane - but what are his intentions?
1. Best Kept Secret

_Ten minutes past the hour. What a beautiful house, thought Colin. Number thirteen of Bannerman Road, as it were. He studied of it what the glowing streetlights would allow. Colin looked up at the night sky, which began to fill with clouds, and smiled. _

_Ah. He watched, as the living room light flickered out. _

'Can't sleep at night, so what do I do?'

The bartender, a tall blue alien modelling a waistcoat, shrugged at Colin.

'Chauffeur the great and good to wherever they desire, that's what.'

The bartender produced a bottle, unimpressed, it seemed.

'Another shot?'

Colin looked. Could this pathetic excuse of a human liver stomach it? No doubt more than Wormwood's throat could handle that bullet. Almost a shame.

Colin smiled, and moved the glass forward. The bartender poured, wearing their best frown.

Colin raised the glass, and swigged.

'Wormwood's dead?' a voice sniped.

He turned.

'Cromley,' Colin said, deadpan, eyeing the short and scaly beast. 'How the hell are you?'

Cromley stared.

'She didn't put you at the top of her recruitment list, for you to test your alcohol tolerance level at the shabbiest bar in the galaxy.'

Colin motioned for another shot.

'I've earned this.'

Cromley's arms were folded.

'We'll just see what _she_ says, shall we?'

Colin placed down the glass, glanced around, then at Cromley.

'Give us five more minutes.'

Cromley glared.

Colin smirked, patted Cromley's shoulder, then left.

'And...Wormwood's blood and guts...splattered on the walls, in their...rightful place?'

Colin smiled, as the tartan-suited Harrison leaned forward at her desk, folding her arms. The lines in her bony face told of many meetings like this one.

'Indubitably. Cromley thought you'd be pissed, though.'

Harrison leaned back.

'Not at all,' she said in her familiarly soft-as-cotton voice. 'You...actually did me...a favour.'

She slid a file across the desk to him.

'Consider this...your reward.'

Back to Earth, then. No hurry, though, Colin thought, as he cruised along, other vehicles passing him by. Yet another vicinity within the far reaches of the galaxy he'd grown accustomed to, through what he might've said were sleepless nights, except he wasn't familiar with such a concept.

In the mirror, he eyed the pale and bloodied Wormwood across the back seat, hands bound, exhaling a breath every now and then.

His best kept secret, it seemed.

Sarah Jane sat at her computer with a coffee and sighed gently. The first stress-free morning in quite some time, it seemed. Everyone, herself included, seemed to be £12 a week better off thanks to Prime Minister Langston. Wormwood had vanished, but knowing her, it wasn't that simple. Nothing about her was.

The doorbell rang.

'Rani?'

But Rani wasn't in her usual work uniform.

Sarah Jane looked at her.

'Did you see a car in the street last night?'

'Not any that aren't usually there. Why?'

'Dad wondered about it, too - the taxi.'

'Do you think it was watching you?'

Rani shrugged.

'He was going to call the police, but I told him it'd probably be gone by the morning.'

Sarah Jane looked at her, then motioned Rani to enter.

'Did you see who was in the car?'

Sarah Jane returned to the computer, and Rani sat on the attic sofa.

'A man, I think.'

'What stopped you calling the police?'

Rani sighed.

'Didn't want to jump the gun.'

_'Christ, she stinks like rotting flesh.'_

_Colin smirked. _

_'Good thing I have acid, then.'_

_Wormwood's eyes darted between them, whilst they watched her breathe occasionally._

_'Acid? You're sure?'_

_'Unless you'd prefer the rotting flesh smell?'_

_Cromley glanced at him. _

_'Will there be enough, you think?'_

_Colin looked at him. _

_'Of course. Now, pass me that bucket.'_


	2. Just Beautiful

'_Life pod discovered in local forest_.'

Such a headline harked back to her encounter with the Judoon, thought Sarah Jane. Or, since it was a forest, the Sontarans.

Far more terrifying than her usual story as a journalist.

She and Rani could maybe have a look tomorrow, for perhaps it would take Rani's mind off her strange experience from the other night.

What would a man(?) want with either of them?

At that moment, Mr Smith beeped.

'_Incoming call from Luke._'

He appeared on screen, in his residence hall.

'Hi, Mum.'

'Everything all right?'

'Yeah,' Luke replied. 'Going to come up a bit later with Sanjay, if that's all right?'

Sarah Jane smiled.

'Sure. I'll make some tea, if you like. Rani'll be pleased to see you both, I'm sure.'

'Great, see you then. Love you.'

'Love you,' Sarah Jane said, and signed off.

She sat back and sighed.

Tomorrow couldn't come sooner.

Colin may never have slept, but he certainly knew how to work up an appetite. Five more minutes, and he could grab a bite, then return to the depot - if the cloying stench of blood from the back didn't diminish his appetite. No doubt Cromley would already be there, terrorising their fellow drivers with his pedantic diatribes.

The red light turned green, and Colin glided forward.

Ten minutes past the hour.

Two others sat to his far right, any conversation perhaps yielded by the fatigue brought on by long working hours.

'All right, Don?' he said, sitting at his usual spot at the diner counter. 'Egg and chips, ta. A shot of gin in the meantime.'

The plump man behind the counter flashed a smile, produced the shot, and head for the kitchen.

Colin swigged. Not terribly busy for this time. Strange.

'You said she was dead,' Cromley snapped from behind.

Colin didn't budge.

'Oh, has it put you off your salad?'

'Harrison won't be-'

Cromley's face froze, as he held his throat. Colin kept his gaze ahead.

'Wormwood's dying,' he said, his voice low and cold. 'You're going to help me finish her off. Capisce?'

Cromley held on to his throat, as it tightened, turning blue.

'Well?'

Cromley nodded, then spluttered and coughed as Colin released him.

Colin smiled.

'Can read you like a picture book, Cromley. Same suit, same salad sandwich, same...parking space.'

Cromley looked at his taxi, then Colin's. Oh.

'Ten minutes,' Colin said, patting Cromley's shoulder, and then left.

In his flat, Colin and Cromley stood either end of the pale, sweating Wormwood, who lay on a table placed beside a tub, hands still bound.

Cromley held his nose in disgust.

'Christ, she _stinks_.'

Colin smirked.

'Good thing I have acid, then.'

Wormwood's eyes darted between them, whilst they watched her breathe occasionally.

'Acid? You're sure?'

'Unless you'd prefer the rotting flesh smell?'

Cromley glanced at him.

'Will there be enough, you think?'

Colin looked at him.

'Of course. Now, pass me that bucket.'

Cromley complied.

'Smells beautiful,' Colin said, inhaling.

Placing it aside, he looked at the woman below them.

'Gloves on like me, then help me undress her.'

Cromley looked at her feet, and one by one, peeled off the heels stuck to them.

Such a slender body - shame that Benson couldn't do the job properly, thought Colin. Piece by piece, he tore away the saturated silk dress, and smiled, as he gradually ran his hand over the once smooth parts of her legs and stomach. Such a ravishing body. He reached for the thick wire around her wrists and pulled, the wire separating like stringy cheesy on a pizza. Just beautiful.

Colin spied her closed eyes. Oh, well.

'That's it, now, Colin,' Cromley said. 'Come on.'

'And have Harrison set her dogs on me? Yeah, right.'

Cromley looked at him, then-

Colin staggered, fingers going to his red, blistering skin.

'You bastard! I'm blind! I can't...'

Cromley lowered the bucket, staring at Colin.

'You stupid-'

Colin removed his hand, as the red rims gradually faded, forcing Cromley's hand two inches from the bucket.

'Unless you want to end up like this bitch...'

Cromley's eyes darted.

Colin released his hand, then grabbed the bucket, and poured.

'Take her legs.'

Cromley complied - the only consolation being his gloves' protection from the sticky, slimy flesh.

They lowered the rotting Wormwood into the tub. Her flesh began to break up, then dissolve. Colin smiled. Simply breathtaking.

'_It happened again last night.'_

_Rani sipped her tea. 'That same taxi.'_

_Sarah Jane blew on hers. _

'_Sorry that Luke couldn't have been of more help. But if it occurs a third time, Rani, call the police.'_

_Rani placed down her mug. _

'_I just don't understand. Why me?'_


	3. That Was It?

_Sarah Jane and Luke looked at the bleeding Cromley, in his true scaly form, poised against the bathroom window, holding a pistol against his head. _

'_Who...or what are you?' Sarah Jane asked. _

'_It wasn't supposed to be like this,' he said, quiet but panicked. _

_Luke stepped forward, careful not to tread in the alien's blood. _

'_What wasn't?'_

_Cromley's hand trembled. Sarah Jane glanced between him and Luke. _

'_She's gonna...she's gonna...'_

'_What's your name?' Sarah Jane asked. _

'_C-C-Cromley.'_

_She turned to Luke. _

'_Luke, go and get some kitchen roll, just incase.'_

_Luke nodded and left. _

_Sarah Jane turned to the bleeding alien. _

'_She's going to what, Cromley?'_

Perhaps he wasn't cut out for this business, Cromley thought, sitting on the edge of the sofa. Dressed only in his now open-necked shirt and grey corduroy trousers, he lounged back.

Harrison must have seen something in him - but not his desperation to be a hitman, merely so he'd have somewhere to live.

Five thirty.

Cromley reached for the bottle of Raspberry brandy, and almost drenched his bowl of coconut balls in it. Not a salad sandwich in sight.

How could Colin be so...nonchalant about his work? Cromley munched.

He'd almost mistaken Wormwood for an innocent passerby, who'd had the misfortune of meeting Colin. Upon realising that it was in fact Wormwood lying before him, was why he'd made zero attempt to save her.

He sighed. Twenty minutes, and a meeting with Harrison. His next assignment, maybe? He could catch up with Boyd afterwards, take a trip to Stanley's.

Beep beep.

He grabbed his com-link.

'_Harrison would like to see you now_.'

'I'm not due until ten to.'

'_It's urgent_.'

Cromley sighed.

'On my way,' he said, and hung up.

He peeled himself off the sofa, reaching for his jacket.

Hang on.

Hadn't Colin lied to Harrison about Wormwood? As far as she was aware, Wormwood had bled out in that office - or certainly that's what Colin claimed had happened.

Clutching his jacket, Cromley froze. He should tell Harrison, put things right. But should he? Land Colin in trouble? Yes, Colin did lie, but Wormwood _was_ actually dead now. Just...forget about it, he thought. Erase the images of that rotting, dissolving body in Colin's tub.

Good, they were gone.

Cromley pulled on his jacket, and left.

Or were they?

Three floors up in the lift, though sometimes it felt longer, thought Cromley. He glanced at his frankly piss-poor attire. Perhaps he should've sought to borrow a tie from one of the passing employees. Though, the naturally lit corridor leading to Harrison's office, which shared that same light, could maybe have disguised his dishevelled look.

Cromley buzzed Harrison's door.

A tall male guard greeted him, studied him, and moved aside.

'Good...evening, Cromley,' Harrison said, motioning him to sit. 'All is...well?'

'Y-Yes, ma'am.'

Harrison glanced at his attire, and leaned forward.

'I have a...new assignment for you. But it...will also involve...Colin.

Cromley shuffled in his seat.

'Okay. Ma'am.'

Tell her, he thought. Tell her.

'You'll both...be back on earth. Thirteen Bannerman Road, occupied by...Sarah Jane Smith. Colin...will elaborate.'

Do it. No, don't.

'All right. Ma'am.'

Harrison nodded.

'You'll-'

'Colin lied to you.'

Cromley froze. Christ, it had just come tumbling out.

Harrison raised an eyebrow.

'He-kept-her-in-his-taxi-and-made-me-help-finish-her-off.'

Harrison leaned back.

'And...is she...dead?'

'Unless-dissolving-a-corpse-can-be-undone.'

Harrison nodded.

'Good.'

That was it?

'Colin...will be waiting for you.'

Cromley's eyes darted, but he eventually nodded, and headed for the door.

That was it?'

Perhaps Cromley didn't have anything to worry about. Not even these wretched garments on him. Scanning over the Earth restaurants, he could maybe try and find somewhere to eat - take his mind off all of this.

Still in Harrison's good books, it seemed. Ealing. That appeared to be this place's name. Colin was likely nearby, just waiting to jump out from behind. Cromley continued on, until he reached a new street. Bannerman Road. Just down the road was number thirteen, which was apparently a grand old thing.

'You murdering bastard.'

Cromley turned, to see a tall man with brown slicked back hair.

'You-'

Cromley stumbled, as the man lashed out, slicing his chest.

As Cromley clutched his bloodied shirt, he scrambled for his pistol, and aimed - entirely out of fear, of course.

The man didn't move, but Cromley bolted.

'Wormwood did nothing to you!'

Cromley continued, but the man did not, it seemed.

Luke approached the front door.

'Won't be a minute, Mum.'

As he opened it, Cromley thundered past, and up the stairs.

Luke shut the door and started after him.

'Mum!'

Luke pursued him, eventually reaching the bathroom.

'What is it?' Sarah Jane asked, catching up.

She turned, seeing what Luke saw.

'Don't...Don't go...'

Sarah Jane and Luke looked at the bleeding Cromley, in his true scaly form, poised against the bathroom window, holding a pistol against his head.

'Who...or what are you?' Sarah Jane asked.

'It wasn't supposed to be like this,' he said, quiet but panicked.

Luke stepped forward, careful not to tread in the alien's blood.

'What wasn't?'

Cromley's hand trembled. Sarah Jane glanced between him and Luke.

'She's gonna...she's gonna...'

'What's your name?' Sarah Jane asked.

'C-C-Cromley.'

She turned to Luke.

'Luke, go and get some kitchen roll, just incase.'

Luke nodded and left.

Sarah Jane turned to the bleeding alien.

'She's going to what, Cromley?'

'I-I-I snitched. A-And now she's going to k-kill me.'

'Cromley,' Sarah Jane said. 'Whatever you did...please, just put it down.'

The trembling intensified.

'She's going...'

Sarah Jane crouched down to him.

'Please, Cromley. Please.'

Cromley's eyes darted.

He lowered the pistol, gradually.

Luke tore off the last of the kitchen roll, and exited the kitchen. What did he-

BANG!

He bolted upstairs to the bathroom, when Sarah Jane stumbled out, her face stained with blood.

'We have to go to the forest,' she said, heading down the stairs. 'Now.'

Sarah Jane was already at her car, as Luke followed.

'Come on.'


	4. Back To Life

How dare they kill Wormwood.

Granville lounged in his long wooden sink, combing his slicked back hair. How dare they.

If Cromley did feel guilty, hopefully it lay on his conscience for a long, long time.

When they were finished off, it'd be time to move on to the high and mighty Godmother. Harrison.

Granville stared at the broken clock. Even it told the right time twice a day.

Melt their bodies with the sun. Give them a taste of their own medicine.

Could have his dead wife do it. She seemed to be around a lot, these days.

Granville scrubbed away the rash of hard skin on his back with the brush. If only that had been Harrison, who thought she was in-bloody-vincible.

Granville had a plan. A brilliant plan.


	5. Job Done

'We may already be too late.'

The car glided along, Sarah Jane gripping the wheel as she looked ahead.

'Mum, what's so important about the forest?' Luke asked, alarmed by the car's high speed.

'There's no time to explain.'

'Is it-'

'There's no time, Luke!'

Was Mum all right?

As the forest came into view, the car gradually came to a halt.

'What about Cromley?'

'We're late.'

Luke reached for his phone.

No new messages from Rani.

'Late for what?'

Sarah Jane didn't respond, instead exiting the car. Luke followed, bewildered.

What was up with Mum?

Luke followed Sarah Jane as she strode further into the forest.

'Mum, are you all right?'

'Yes, Luke, just fine.'

Her tone suggested otherwise.

'Mum, tell me what's going on.'

Sarah Jane continued on.

'There's a life pod here, it was in the paper this morning. I wanted to investigate.'

'What about Cromley?'

'There was nothing I could do,' Sarah Jane said. 'Now, come on.'

As they approached the middle of the forest, a man greeted them. No life pod in sight.

'Good afternoon, Miss Smith. And the Archetype, Luke.'

Sarah Jane looked, as did Luke.

'Who are-'

'Oh, stop the pretence, Miss Smith,' the man said. 'You've done very well. Harrison will be proud.'

'Mum, who's Harrison?'

'_I am.'_

The voice blared like a tannoy on the Tube station.

'_What a...pleasure it is, to finally...meet you both_.'

Luke turned to Sarah Jane.

'Mum?'

She glanced, but didn't respond.

'_And well done to you, Colin.'_

He smiled.

'Ma'am.'

Luke glared at Colin.

'Whatever you've done to my mum, stop it now.'

Colin chuckled.

'And that would be...?'

'Don't-'

'It's nothing, Luke,' said Sarah Jane. 'Don't worry.'

'Colin, what have you done to-'

THUD!

Luke jarred, then hit the ground.

Colin smiled.

'Thank you for shutting boy genius over there up,' he said, as Sarah Jane lowered Cromley's pistol.

'Job done on Cromley too, I see.'

'_And you, Colin.'_

BANG! BANG!

Colin screamed, falling as his knees blew open.

'What the hell, Harrison?!'

'_Honesty...is the best policy, Colin. Even Wormwood knew that.'_

Colin held what remained of his knees, shaking and groaning.

'You bitch!'

'_Miss Smith?'_

Sarah Jane fired, and Colin became still.

'_And now...it is your turn.'_

Sarah Jane dropped the pistol and screamed, as a shrill discharge sliced through her ears.

Harrison chuckled, as Sarah Jane lay sprawled out across the ground.

Excellent.


End file.
